Rachel and her family were photographed last April. Her stepdad, Dan Spak, passed away unexpectedly on the eve of Easter. Rachel asked if they could participate in the Stay at Home series, wanting to have something positive to remember of the pandemic. That was the first time I realized that these images left a positive impact on people other than myself and those in the photographs. We had a little photo session on a warm April evening. Declan (Rachel and Sean’s son) hung by his big wheel and we all got to know each other, and they shared Dan’s legacy with me.
Dan Spak was an adored teacher at Firestone and was married to Rachel’s mother, Mary, for 16 years—the pair worked at Firestone together. Though he tested negative for COVID, they never got clear answers on the cause of his death. With results arriving days later, his organs were not able to be donated. “I think about all of the people who were awaiting organ transplants during that time but did not have an opportunity because of testing availability,” Said Rachel.
The family could not conduct a memorial service, but that didn’t stop people from reaching out. Family, friends, colleagues, students and neighbors did a drive-by parade, left plenty of kind messages and there was news coverage of the unexpected loss of this beloved teacher.
The family pressed on, continuing to live through the extended Stay at Home order while trying to grieve without closure.
Declan, a big-wheeling social butterfly, was enrolled in Kindergarten at Akron Public Schools. With school remaining virtual, Rachel decided it would be in their best interest to homeschool him. Declan did well with homeschooling, but Rachel comedically mentioned his biggest disappointment was that he didn’t get to have a school picture taken. It was clear that their Pandemic Postscript warranted an official school photo for Declan’s archives of Kindergarten.
In January, the family introduced a new family member: a rambunctious pup named Murphy.
This spring, APS is back full-swing; Mary returned to Firestone for the first time since last March. The same building she left with her husband, she re-entered alone. Mary entered a stage of re-grieving, triggered by the fond memories she holds in that building with Dan. When we spoke, Mary stated that she was not ready to return to school with the students and staff. Mary retired this year, the school held two retirement celebrations for her as well as paid tribute to Dan Spak.
The school year is coming to an end, Mary will be retired and Declan gets that school photo he always wanted. The family is looking forward to their vaccinated-lifestyle, finally having the ability to enjoy the company of their friends and family. Rambunctious Murphy is the perfect fit for Declan—those two fellas will be running around all summer.
May this warm weather combined with COVID vaccines and the final days of the school year give this family the step forward they’ve been waiting for during the pandemic.
